I think the loss of Booth last season may have been a big blow. I don't think a buy-out is necessarily in the cards. In fact, I think MG is eager to see what they have in Booth next season (assuming he can play a full season and stay healthy). In short, MG won't buy-out Booth because they havn't yet been able to fully evaluate what they have in him. I myself am curious as well.

Here's why:

In his limited minutes last season he was generating lots of scoring chances. Although he wasn't finishing those chances, it gives you a strong impression he is on the right track. As long as he keeps working hard and doing what he's doing (combined with some luck and actual finish) he could be a good offensive contributor.

Offensively, he was generating chaos around the net, which bodes well for those dirty goals in the tough to play areas the Canucks desperately need some presence in. I would really like to see what a guy like Jordan Schroeder could do feeding him the puck in those areas.

He's a big body and has good foot speed. Physical player too. Fits the Canucks style of play.

He has something to prove next year. No doubt this season was dissapointing as a team and as individuals for many Canucks. Booth is one of those guys. Motivation goes a long ways.

He is a heart and soul type of player that displays that kind of attitude out on the ice. I think he has a good attitude towards playing the game, and that bodes well for the 'culture' and 'reputation' the Canucks always seem percieved to lack.

What Booth Needs to do next Season:

1) train and prepare well (e.g work some skill development i.e. puck control, shot release etc.) in the off season

2) stay healthy during the season

3) contribute. I don't think Booth has to put up all-star stats to be effective, he just needs to be a secondary scorer that translates into wins for the team. Next season will be much tougher for the Canucks with re-alignment in effect, and obviously making the playoffs is goal #1 during the regular season.

4) Assuming the Canucks are in the playoffs, this is where Booth has to shine.

I don't think we've seen the last of Booth. I still think he has much to prove, and playoff wise I'm hoping at the very least he can be a Dustin Penner-esque post season performer. That's really what the Canucks need, and I could trade off a decent regular season for strong play off performance. Cap wise, I think his salary is manageable (see below). Of course, the ball is in Booth's court if he is still with the team next year. Here's hoping he can run with it.

*********I've left the 4th line untouched and the back up goalie position vacant depending on what happens during the off-season. Further, I've signed Tanev and Schroeder to contracts that are hopefully not an under-estimation. The defensive line up isn't set either (Tanev for instance could easily swap partners with Bieksa).

We still don't have a second line with your lineup, it would be another first round exit. Your entire second line would be a great third line.

I say Booth was looking good right before he got hurt, he might surprise us but he better lay off the hunting and bible and get into offseason beast mode.

The bottom line is, we could either keep an overpaid injury-prone player, or we could keep someone else.

Whether that be Raymond or Roy (if they'll sign at a good price), or a free agent, all are better options than Booth at this point.

Never want to see them again unless its a 2way league min on Mason and 2.5 tops on Roy.even then theyre uselss come playoff time

I don't mind giving booth another go... I think he would work well with Henrik Sedin, and that also gives a PWF to play with Hank. If we just get one more guy (crossing my fingers for Edler for Eriksson), we look great:

i would like to see LaPierre (100%) and even Burrows find a new team, the refs have destroyed those 2 and we need to get rid of that type of player if we want to retool and rebuild our image.

Kellen Lain needs to have a monster next 2-3 months, HGH, Gary Roberts..watever it takes. we need that 6"6 4th Line Center to replace Yappy.

Edited by PlayoffHockey, 22 May 2013 - 02:33 PM.

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"I haven't been a supporter of the Canucks for long. Mainly because firstly I knew nothing about NHL GL and secondly ESPN America only started showing NHL 3 years ago. I was unattached to any team when I first started watching although I could easily have gone for the Philadelphia Flyers as my home team which I supported in my youth and for 20 years was the Fife Flyers."~ Bodee

I agree that he should be given a chance playing with the right centre - and Kesler is not the correct fit. Players with the size, skill and speed of Booth are not easy to find. Imagine the reaction of the Canuck fans if Booth was bought out, snapped up immediately by another team and has a good season with the new team.
I also agree that Schroeder is the best fit for him as a centre. Gaunce needs to spend a year or two in the minors learning his trade. Schroeder has shown he has the ability to play in the NHL and, hopefully, the new coaching staff will give him the chance.
The only change I would make to your top 3 lines is Kassian with the twins and Burrows with Kesler - it is a better balance for the top 2 lines.

I'm not automatically opposed to getting rid of Booth at least to the extent that he is a big salary and would have to be the prime candidate to cut loose if we needed to clear cap space for a big acquisition. (Ballard and Lu will obviously go too but that just covers the cap drop and raises for certain guys). That said, short of replacing him with someone better (which may not be possible) I feel reasonably good about him. A lot of hate gets dumped on Booth but all of it is pretty nonsensical. Here's why:

"Booth just sucks! He has no chemistry with Kesler"

Nope. During the time he was healthy in 2012 Booth lit it up. Him and Kesler looked great together and he scored at over a 20 goal pace despite needing to adjust to a new team and coming back from his nasty injury. And keep in mind that a chunk of that time Kesler was also seriously hurt. If you factor out that last stretch his GPG number climbs even higher.

"But this year! 4.2 Million for one empty net goal!"

Yes. In about a dozen games. During which he actually didn't look bad at all. Good even, considering he was tossed into the lineup without any training camp or preseason after a massive layoff and made to play with the black hole that was the Canucks 2nd line center this season. Sure, he only converted on one empty net goal but his possession numbers were excellent. Over such a small sample size those numbers are a lot more meaningful that his actual goal total. Had he stayed healthy that goal total would surely have balanced out.

"But he won't stay healthy! He's injury prone"

Being injury prone is not a thing. Unless its some kind of specific recurring injury, a guy getting hurt repeatedly is just bad luck. Booth has suffered a very unfortunate string of injuries that have handicapped his effectiveness but there's no rational reason to think that'll continue.

"But I hate him! He hunts! He's religious! He's a conservative!"

His politics and opinions...don't matter in the slightest. He does nothing illegal. You don't have to like him personally. If he's an effective player how you feel about him as a person is irrelevant.

Booth and Ballard should both be given new chances. Fresh new starts for them next season with a new coach

I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Ballard get a fresh start with the team next season, but I'm not sure how I feel about Booth sticking around. He's got the tools, but he just hasn't been healthy and I've got to wonder if he can be the player he was before those injuries. Would it be worth it to keep him around at his salary? Or would it be better to role the dice on one of our prospects?

There will likely be a lot of bargains available this offseason. Players who were good, but overpaid, and have been let go or bought-out, simply because of the cap going down and the amnesty buyout available. Guys just like Booth (and for one team, a guy who IS Booth), but at a fraction of the cost.

Booth can take his injured body, injured feelings, his $4 million a year lottery win, and his abence of hockey sense (the few games he manages to actually play), and take them to a new sucker ... oops, I meant team. And good riddance.

I agree, but I also feel like it came down to who was going to be the coach of this team. I felt if AV was somehow going to be here for another year, I would of said trade Booth for someone else. Now that he's gone, and if Gillis actually brings in a more offensive style coach like he is saying he wants to have, then I say give Booth 1 full year to see what he can really do, if he also can stay healthy. Although if a trade came available, where say Raymond and Booth were in a trade for a player similar to Booth, but actually produces, forsure I would take the trade.

Edited by ChuckNORRIS4Cup, 23 May 2013 - 02:46 AM.

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Trevor Linden Quote Nov. 29th 2012 [Asked if he would return to the game?]
"The game has been with me for a long time, if the right opportunity came about, you never know"

I really was quite impressed by Booth's play before the injury, but I don't believe the reward is worth the risk. (injuries)
I hope the new coach is allowed to see what he really has in Ballard, I guess I would venture to say that with the rest of the team as well.
In my mind MG has gotten a reprieve and he will really have to evaluate where this team is at as far as talent is concerned, I also believe that AV had stifled the evaluation process with his coaching /management style.
Even I am scratching my head at where some of the core players talent levels are at. I thought I knew, but really I'm not sure anymore or question if I ever really did know.
I think with a new head coach the answers should become more clear as far as the core groups dedication, the talent of our young players etc. We may not like the answers of what should become more apparent.

Give him another chance where exactly ? The guys not a second liner unless he has a pass first centre to distribute him the puck. Even then what's telling you that he won't continue to be injury prone as he gets Older? He's got no chemistry with kesler and was garbage in the playoffs against the kings .

Doug Maclean hit the nail on the head yesterday on team 1040 when he said that gillis needs to look hard at the people who made the recommendations to him to go after players like Ballard booth bernier Roy and can em

My biggest issue with Booth is his lack of versatility. He is too one-dimensional. If he could be effective on the PK and were a better back-checker then he might be worth his salary. The really good players recognize their weaknesses and work to improve them. He hasn't seemed to improve his weaker areas since he's been here. That to me is a red flag.

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Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Champions 2014/15 So let it be written, So let it be done!

My biggest issue with Booth is his lack of versatility. He is too one-dimensional. If he could be effective on the PK and were a better back-checker then he might be worth his salary. The really good players recognize their weaknesses and work to improve them. He hasn't seemed to improve his weaker areas since he's been here. That to me is a red flag.

That's true, but Kassian is like this and so is Stewart in STL. Seems like big power forwards don't typically play PK minutes. Mostly offensive oriented guys.

I think his offensive weakness is his shot and puck control. Improve those and he could be a hit.